Allelopathy Weed management and yield improvement in mungbean through allelopathic action of sunflower and bermuda grass (a weed) extract in conjunction with irrigation frequencies

Abstract

Allelopathy is the effect of one plant species by reducing the germination and growth of the neighbouring plants of another species through releasing chemical compounds. It has been reported by many researchers that weeds are major hazard in reducing crop yield but it can be managed effectively through phytotoxic properties of plants. A field study was conducted at Students Experimental Farm, Agronomy Department, Crop Production Faculty, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Pakistan during spring 2019 and repeated during 2020 to validate the previous results. The research conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of sunflower and Bermuda grass extracts under various irrigation levels on weeds density and yield of mungbean cultivar ‘AEM-96’. Split plot design having four replications was managed. The experiment consisted of weed control practices: Weedy check, various levels of sunflower and bermuda grass extracts as sole and in combination with each other, different levels of herbicides as alone and in integration with allelopathic plant extracts as well as hand weeding under three irrigation frequencies (2, 3 and 4 watering applications). The analysis variance of results showed that various levels of sunflower and bermuda grass extracts as sole and in combination with each other, different levels of herbicides as alone and in integration with allelopathic plant extracts as well as hand weeding caused significant suppression of weeds and increased in seed yield as compared to weedy check. The combined treatment Atlantis: 0.1 Ltr ha-1 + Puma Super: 0.156 Ltr ha-1 + Sunflower extract: 15 L ha-1 resulted in less weed density (51.6 m-2) and produced maximum seed yield of 2404.4 kgs ha-1. Bermuda grass extract: 15 Ltr ha-1 integration with low dose of herbicides Atlantis: 0.1 Ltr ha-1+ Puma Super: 0.156 Ltr ha-1 showed weed density of 61.3 m-2 resulted seed yield of 2282.1 kgs ha-1. The application of herbicides treatment Atlantis: 0.2 Ltr ha-1 + Puma Super: 0.312 Ltr ha-1 suppressed weed density of 70.9 m-2 and produced seed yield of 2162.5 kgs ha-1. It is noted that Hand weeding: 30 days after sowing showed weed density of 76.1 m-2 and seed yield 2042.5 kgs ha-1. The combined allelopathic plant applications of Sunflower +Bermuda grass extract each: 15 Ltr ha-1 reduced weed density 80.7 m-2 and obtained seed yield of 1923.2 kgs ha-1. Sole application of sunflower extract: 30 Ltr ha-1 resulted weed density 91.0 m-2 and recorded seed yield of 1804.2 kgs ha-1. Alone allelopathy application of Bermuda grass extract: 30 Ltr ha-1 noticed weed density 103.3 m-2 and produced seed yield of 1684.8 kgs ha-1. The highest weed density 140.9 m-2 and lowest seed yield 1343.1 kgs ha-1 noticed in weedy check treatment where no any application applied for weed reduction. According to irrigation frequencies the 4 watering applications resulted less weed density 82.2 m-2 and obtained maximum seed yield 1996.3 kgs ha-1 followed by 3 watering applications noted weed density 84.5 m-2 and achieved seed yield 1955.5 kgs ha-1. The maximum weed density 86.7 m-2 and lowest seed yield recorded in 2 watering application. The analysis of variance of pooled data revealed that Atlantis: 0.1 Ltr ha-1 + Puma Super: 0.156 Ltr ha-1 + Sunflower extract: 15 Ltr ha-1 integrated treatment under 4 watering applications (15, 30, 45 and 60 DAS) caused significant impact on weed inhabitation and yield enrichment